Spain's Supreme Court cancels arrest warrant for Catalan separatist Puigdemont
In short
Spain's Supreme Court has cancelled an arrest warrant for Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, according to wire and US newspaper reports. Reuters described the ruling as clearing a key hurdle for Puigdemont's return to Spain. Puigdemont has lived in self-imposed exile in Belgium since 2017, according to The New York Times.
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Spain's Supreme Court has cancelled an arrest warrant for Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, according to the Associated Press, Reuters and The New York Times. Reuters described the court ruling as clearing a key hurdle for Puigdemont's return to Spain. The Associated Press reported the development in both English and Spanish. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The New York Times said Puigdemont has been living in self-imposed exile in Belgium since 2017 and referred to a news conference he held in Belgium on Tuesday. The documents do not state whether Puigdemont plans to return to Spain, what the court's reasoning was, or whether any other legal measures against him remain. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The removal of the warrant is a step toward Puigdemont's possible return to Spain, where he has faced arrest since going into exile in 2017. The decision concerns a long-running dispute between the Spanish state and the Catalan separatist movement, a subject that has drawn attention well beyond Spain. The documents do not say whether he intends to return or what legal conditions still apply.
Key facts
- Spain's Supreme Court cancelled an arrest warrant for Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Reuters reported the court ruling cleared a key hurdle for Puigdemont's return to Spain. [ 1 ]
- Puigdemont has lived in self-imposed exile in Belgium since 2017, according to The New York Times. [ 4 ]
- The New York Times said Puigdemont appeared at a news conference in Belgium on Tuesday. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Puigdemont will return to Spain, and on what terms. No document states his plans or says he has returned; Reuters only says the ruling clears a key hurdle for a return.
- The specific legal grounds for cancelling the warrant and whether any charges or other legal measures remain in place. The documents give no details of the ruling's reasoning or its scope.
- Where the ruling was issued and where Puigdemont currently is. The documents do not state a city for the court decision; The New York Times places Puigdemont in Belgium, where it says he has lived since 2017.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Reuters reports a court ruling clears a key hurdle for Puigdemont's return to Spain. [ 1 ]
- The Associated Press reports Spain lifted the arrest warrant for Puigdemont. [ 2 ]
- The Associated Press publishes a Spanish-language version of the same report. [ 3 ]
- The New York Times reports the Spanish Supreme Court cancelled the arrest warrant, noting Puigdemont's exile in Belgium since 2017. [ 4 ]